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The Reverend Jeremiah Wright |
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The most disappointing thing about the Rev. Wright incident is the complete failure of our news media. I was familiar with Wrights preaching before the brouhaha, so when it happened I was truly puzzled. How could anyone draw an opinion of a mans, and especially a pastors words with just a 10 second sound bite, and from that sound bite draw such conclusions about the speaker as hateful, racist, etc. I knew then that no one who did actually had seen or read a Wright sermon.
What was insidious about the Rev. Wright story is that at every repeat of those videos, and even in the reports of print media those statements were repeated over and over again. Many Americans view the reports of the media as actual truth. So regardless now of the actual context and meaning of his words he will be forever thought of as hateful and the career of a stalwart man of God is forever sullied.
That would disturb me except for the fact that I can estimate the heart of the Rev Wright. If only one soul is saved by hearing more than just 10 seconds of the word of God he will consider the condemnation a worth it. That his sermons indirectly led to Obama%u2019s speech on race he would consider a blessing.
These so called responsible journalist and not those who represent the right wing owe both the American people and the Rev. Wright an apology, and the pledge to refrain from viral journalism, and investigate to be the eyes of our republic.
The real failure of the media, as pointed out by a friend of mine, was to make this only about Obama. Instead of saying what does this all mean for Obama’s campaign, why aren’t we talking about race. Why aren’t we talking about why Wright’s comments scare so many people, or why some black Americans might feel justified in agreeing with Wright. This is about much more than Obama. Shame on the media for letting this only be about the horserace.
introspection is harder than blaming others, in the same way that sound bites are easier than developing full arguments. What the entirety of Wright’s speech expressed is something every American should listen to, dwell upon, and draw their own conclusions. Anyone of us could be demonized if a ten second sound bite was taken from our ideas.
Obama’s speech was brilliant, and I’m of the opinion that the Wright speech following 9.11 was equally on point. If anyone doubts that what occurred on 9.11 was the result of a hateful ideology and in now way contingent on the actions of the US government over the years, they need to check the history books, and reject the nationalistic propaganda in favor of cold hard truths. for all the glories of america, it is guilty of an equal, if not greater number, of atrocities.